Ramapo College Information System

Detailed Course Information

Spring 2012
Mar 31,2015

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PSYC 430 - ADVANCED TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY

The descriptions and topics of this course change from semester-to-semester, as well as from instructor-to-instructor. Prerequisite: varies with the topic offered.
PSYC 430 NEUROSIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY: Psychology, born from the disciplines of Philosophy and Physiology, has long sought to provide insight into the nature of the mind. Some of the classic questions include: What is the relationship between the mind and the body? Is the mind the same thing as the brain or is it something else? How can mere thoughts cause things to happen in a physical universe? Is it merely a delusion on our part to believe that our thoughts matter in the grand scheme of the universe? Recent progress in Neuroscience is profoundly altering our conception of how we think, feel, decide, love and even reproduce. Therefore, Neurophilosophy is a recent sub-discipline arising from the intersections of neuroscience, philosophy and psychology.
PSYC 430 EYEWITNESS MEMORY. Mistaken eyewitness identifications are a leading cause of false imprisonment. In this course we examine the history of research on memory with special reference to eyewitness testimony, acceptance of expert testimony by courts, and contemporary research on identification, child testimony, what jurors believe about memory, and interviewing.
PSYC 430 CULTURE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. We are prepared both by our cultural and biological heritage. The course will provide an overview of current theory and research related to the multidimensional phenomena of human development across the life course. Emphasis will be placed on using a continuous dynamic model to study biological as well as psychosocial development as this allows for both risk and protective factors to be identified.
PSYC 430 PSYCHOLOGY OF YOGA. Yoga is the most ancient of psychological systems while also growing in its influence on contemporary culture. This course will offer students an academic and applied introduction to the philosophical psychology of Classical Indian Yoga. Based on the primary ancient text of Patanjali and nature, mind-body holism, knowledge, ethics, human development, psychopathology, and of course, the general practice of holistic health workshops on nutrition, breath exercises, classic postures, and meditation. As much as possible, material will be taught in a manner that integrates yoga with contemporary cognitive-behavioral, neuroscience, psychodynamic and existential-phenomenological approaches to psychology. Students will be required to maintain experiential journals, actively participate in workshps, and conduct a rigorous academic research project.
PSYC 430 ISSUES IN BLACK PSYCHOLOGY. This course will explore the genesis and philosophy of Afro-centrism, along with discussions on the controversial debate about intelligence testing. We will also explore the social psychology of prejudice, racism, mental health issues in the Black community, and the twin oppression of racism and sexism as they impact Black women's mental health.
PSYC 430 PSYCHOLOGY OF MEN. From its inception, psychology basically studied only men. The psychology of women was born out of challenges to this gender-insensitive approach, and ironically created a situation where we know far more about the psychology of women than about the actual psychology of men. A look at men as gendered beings and a focus on trying to understand the psychological reality of men's lives has given birth to a new division of the APA-Div. 51: The Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity. Some of the perspectives, issues, research and insights of this new sub-field will be intensely explored.
PSYC 430 THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. This course will introduce students to the paradigm of Existential-Phenomenological Psychology. The thought of Heidegger, Sartre, and Merleau-Ponty will be applied to the issues of both psychopathological disintegration and wholesome self-actualization or integration. Special emphasis will be placed on the human capacity for moral choice in the face of biological and cultural restraints. Phenomenology's consonance with psychoanalysis, especially Erik Erikson's epigenetic theory of psycho-social development, will be stressed throughout the course.
PSYC 430 FEMINIST EPISTIMOLOGY. There is a revolution occurring in psychology. We are all a part of it, both knowingly and unknowingly. The revolution deals with a recognition that we have been thinking monolithically for far too long. Our theoretical orientation has been: "The male is seen as normative, the female as departing from the norm. And it is only a short step--maybe an inevitable one--from "different" to "worse" (Tannen, 1990)." Recent feminist critiques have challenged this traditional world view of psychological theory as being far too narrow and confining for the potential positive growth of the entire human species (all genders--are there only two?). This course will examine, in detail, the nature of these assumptions and how they are changing psychological theory, research and practice.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours